Sheet-piling.



SHEET FILING.

APPLICATION FILED' 11101.19, 1911.

Pau'nted 111111.30, 1912.

cation.

.sheet piling,

NITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

EDWARD BIGNELL, or LINCOLN, lrnnnsxn.`

SHEET-BEING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led August 1,9; V1911. l Serial No..44,964.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD BIGNELL, a residing at Lincoln, in' the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska have invented certain new and useful Ijmprovements in Sheet- Piling, of which the following is a specifi- This invention relates to improvements in and has for its principal object to provide piles which may be sunk or low ered into the ground by their own weight,

- the soil being excavated by amovement of water,.under pressure, conveyed to and discharged at `the bottom of the pile, the operation of excavating being aided by an outward movement of water, under pressure, through perforations formed inthe sheet metal casing constituting thebody of the pile. l

It is occasionally desirable to remove piles from the ground, but as ordinarily constructed, such removal is attended with great difficulty, and in some instances is quite impossible on account of the adhesion of soil to the surface of the pile.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide piles so constructed that the adhesive soil may be removed so that the pile may be elevated from its bed.

Another object is to provide piles which may be conveniently connected or interlocked in such a manner that they may be maintained upright and substantially parallel to provide a retaining wall, this feature being particularly useful in the building of dams, (likes or bridges where embankments are to be protected from the action of moving water, or to prevent erosion.

The invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts yas described herein and claimed, and as illust-rated in the drawing, it being understood that changes in form, size, proportion and Aminor details may be made within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or sacrificing any of its advantages.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical side view, partlybroken away and inV section, of a pilc embodying my invention. F ig. 2 is a side or edgewise view of the same to show the formation of a longitudinal slot. Fig. 3 is aview of the opposite side of the pile to that shown in Fig. 2, to clearly show certain lugs mounted thereon. Fig. 4 is a transcross-section, t

. the longitudinal verse section on linea a of Fig. 1. Figrf is a plan view' of the piling when secured t0- gether, the view being in transverse section the'mounting of the lugs drawing for a more metal bent to form a hollow casing or receptacle, rectangular in cross-section, with a taperedor outwardly-convergent bottom 7,

Patenteaapr. 30, 1912.

its sides and bottom having numerous perforations 8 formed therein.

The body of the pile is preferabl constructed of a reater length than wi th, in ough I do not limit myself 1n this respect, and, at two of its opposite sides are respectively indicated, at 9 and 10,

slot and lugs. At 11 and 12 are indicated partitions disposed transversely and suitably secured within the receptacle vals thereof to form therein the compartments 18, 14 and 15.

Leading to compartat longitudinal interments 14 and 15 are the respective eonduct-y ing-pipes 16 and 17, their discharge ports being respectively indicated at b and c, these pipes passing throughthe cover or cap 18, which may be removably mounted upon the upper end of the pile, as by use of bolts d.

At 19 are` indicated tubular, members or conducting-pipes. They traverse the removably mounted cap and the compartments to dispose their discharge ports e adjacent to and below the tapered bottom of the casing or receptacle. Y

As thus described the intakes of all of the pipes are above cap 18, and they are provided with check valves 20. lVater, under pressure from any suitable source, may pass within the pipes, and the water from'pipes 16 and 17 will be discharged wit-hin the re-' spective compartments 14 and 15 subject to the control of the valves, and the water ma then pass outwardly through the v*perforations formed in the walls of said compartnients.

Water from pipes 19 will be discharged below t-he tapered bottom ofthe pile; and by reason of the check valves, pressure of water at the discharge ports will be under control of the operator.

While I have shown three compartments, the number thereof may be greater or less, and any suitable number of conductingrthe supply and already described.

pipes may be employed, depending upon the size ot the casing.

The piles may be disposed upright and substantially parallel to form a retaining wall or for similar uses, the lugs of one pile engaging within the longitudinal slot ot an adjacent pile, and they tend to sustain each other in interloclred relation.

In operation, compressed air may be employed, but water is a better element. Vihile under pressure, water may be passed within pipes 19, and, passing out of discharges c, it will cause -an excavation to be termed, within which the pile will sink by gravity. As the pile gradually sinks, the water which passes outwardly through perforations 8, will prevent the soil from adhering to the surface of the pile, and sand, gravel or other material, moving in a direction of the least resistance, will be elevated with the water at or near the sides of the pile, and will be re moved from the excavation.

The herein described piling is particularly useful in instances where their removal from the ground is required. It is occasionally desirable to remove piles after they have been sunk. To accomplish this, water under pressure may be passed through the perfora tions and through pipes 19 inthe manner This loosens the seating of the pile, and in a measure, removes adhesions, and it may then be readily removed by the means usually employed or that purpose, the lugs of one pile sliding upwardly within the slot of an adjacent Having fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

l. An improvement in piles consisting or" an elongated, perforated, metallic casing formed substantially rectangular in crosssection with a tapered terminal; a partition disposed transversely within the casing to t'orm compartments therein; a conductingpipe having a discharge port within one of said compartments, and a tubular member traversing said compartments and having a discharge port outwardly of the tapered terminal of said casing.

'2. An improvement in piles, consisting ot' an elongated, perforated metallic easing formed substantially rectangular in cross- Lesesaal section with an outwardly convergent termi.- nal; a plurality ot partitions disposed transversely within the casing to form compart ments therein; conducting-pipes having discharge ports within said compartments; tubular members traversing said compartments and having discharge ports adjacent to the convergent terminal of said casing.

3. An improvement in piles, comprising, in combination an elongated receptacle torn'ied rectangular in crosssection with pertorations in its sides and bottom, said receptacle being provided with a longitudinal slot in one ot its sides, it-s opposite side having lugs thereon; partitions disposed transversely in the receptacle to Jforni compartments; conducting pipes having dis-l charge ports within the compartments; tubular members traversing the compartments and having discharge ports adjacent to the bottom of said receptacle.-

t. An improvement in metallic piles, consisting ot'an elongated receptacle 'formed rectangular in cross-section, with perforated sides and anoutwardly tapered bottom, said receptacle being provided at longitudinal intervals on one o its sides with lugs, its op posite side being formed with a. longitudinal slot; a conducting-pipe having a discharge terminal within the receptacle; tubu lar members longitudinally traversing the receptacle and having discharge ports outwardly of said tapered bottom.

5. An improvement in sheet piling, comprising an elongated, hollow perforated casing rectangular in plan with interlocking devices upon two of its sides, and formed at one ot its terminals with a convergent part, its opposite terminal being provided with a removable cap; conducting-pipes provided with checl-valves traversing the cap and having discharge ports within the casing; tubular members provi-ded with eheclrvalves; said members traversing said cap and casing and having discharge ports dis posed outwardly of the convergent part ot said casing.

In testimony whereof I have adixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, EDI/VARI) BIGNELIJ. Witnesses z W. G. S. Coon,

Emilien F. Es'rns. 

